Pant supporting belt for add-on personal benefits

ABSTRACT

A pant belt supporting system has:
         a) a waist belt having a length defined by a first end and a second end;   b) the waist belt having an engaging system for temporarily securing the first end and the second end;   c) the waist belt having at least one surface a first end of a physical, temporary-engaging fastening system secured to the waist belt;   d) a functional fabric having a top and a bottom, and a second end of a physical, temporary-engaging fastening system at the bottom end; and   e) the separate functional fabric having sufficient self-supporting vertical strength so that when the functional fabric is secured to the at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface of the waist belt having the first surface of the physical, temporary-engaging fastening system secured to the waist belt, the second functional fabric supports itself in a vertical alignment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of pant supporting belts having additional engaging functionality that is attached by and supported by the belt.

2. Background of the Art

The belt is a staple of functional apparel and clothing decorations. Originally little more than a rope around which pants or leggings were wrapped for support, belts became more and more decorative over time with colorful fabric and buckles and decorations added. The belt has become a standard in men's apparel for functional support of pants and trousers, and are often used on women's apparel more for decoration in addition to modest functionality. Pants and trousers are often provided with loops through which belts pass, and through which vertical support on the pants or trousers is provided.

Another type of belt is used for essentially purely functional tasks, such as supporting tools and weapons for ease of access. Workmen's tool belts, telephone workers tool belts, sword belts with scabbards and gun belts with holsters are well known for common use.

Other more specialized belts and waist supports have been proposed over the years.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,253 (Griffith) describes a garment that works in response to the degree of correction needed to support the anterior abdominal wall and provide a cosmetic reshaping of the abdomen to yield a flat appearance. A support panel (10) has three elastic webs (12, 14, 16) with their respective grains running at contrasting angles. When in use, the support panel is positioned on the lower abdomen and the webs interact with one another so that the support panel assumes a pouch-like shape that holds and lifts the abdomen. A shaping panel (40) is connected to the waistband and positioned in front of the support panel (10). The shaping panel (40) includes two elastic side webs (44,46) that interact with a nonelastic central web (42) to cause the shaping panel to assume a curvilinear operative configuration. A lower portion of the shaping panel conforms to the pouch-like shape of the support panel and cooperates therewith to hold and lift the abdomen. An upper portion of the shaping panel remains substantially flat and operates against the abdomen to spread the same between the hipbones and provide a flat appearance.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,414 (Grim) describes a back support constructed from a back brace of elastic material which carries a gel pad and an air bladder. The brace supports the pad against lower back of the user in firm engagement. The air bladder is juxtaposed and generally co-extensive with the pattern containing the gel-like material. The air bladder has three individually inflatable chambers, including left, right, and overall areas, so that the user may adjust the pressure exerted on the pad and hence the support of the lower back. The gel pad may also contain an adjustable heating element to electrically heat the gel-like material. The main portion of the back brace has two wide belt portions which extend forwardly and upwardly from the main lower back support area, and which are secured together by overlapping Velcro members at the lower stomach area; and the centerlines of these two wide belt portions may make an angle of about 30 degrees to 60 degrees with one-another. The air bladder assembly includes straps secured thereto which extend from the bladders per se through slits in the wide belts of the main portion of the back support and which straps are secured to the outer surfaces of the wide belts.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,183 (Spiro) describes a support device for a person's back, thoracic and pelvic areas having a pair of panels adapted to be positioned about the person's back, a plurality of fastening members at the front edges of the panels for securing the panels together and a pulley system fastened to the rear edges of the panels with tapes extending to the front of the panels whereby upon a simple pull on the tapes, the support will render total alignment and proper adjustment at desired degree of support to the body of the support device. A hook and buckle fastened to the ends of the tapes will maintain the support at the desired degree of tightness about the person's back.

Published U.S. Patent Application Document No. 20080190980 (Overton) describes a compact yet expandable waist belt with a pouch preferably formed from a single piece of seamless elastic fabric, designed in some embodiments with pleats in the back, that remains taut around the wearer's body during even the most rigorous physical activities, whether the pouch is holding one smaller item (such as a key) or multiple larger items (such as a cell phone, mp3 player, and/or money). When empty, the pouch is preferably approximately the same width and thickness as the belt holding the pouch in place, and yet the pouch's internal volume can expand up to 300-400% or more to hold larger items or a large number of small items. The single pouch is sealed with zipper or other fasteners such as Velcro® allowing users to access belongings quickly and easily.

U.S. Pat. No. 76,711,750 (Yoo) describes an elastic textile belt for acupressure, including securing elements at opposite ends of the belt for securing the belt around the waist of a user. The abdominal acupressure element has a plurality of metal protrusions on the inner surface of the belt and a pouch for holding heat generating elements on an outer surface of the belt; and a movable lumbar acupressure element has a plurality of metal protrusions on the inner surface, a plurality of hooks on the outer surface and a pouch for holding heat generating elements between the surfaces.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,192,336 (Jacob) describes a compressive device and carrying compartment for focusing a compressive force at the general lateral areas of a human waist, and securing at least one object in a generally fixed position relative to the waist, includes a longitudinally elastic belt having lateral area engaging pads, and further including a bag defining an interior space and laterally apposite slot openings, wherein the bag and belt are cooperatively configured such that the belt passes within the space and the compressive force also works to biasly retain the objects in the fixed position.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,128 Hur) describes an exercise belt which includes resilient connectors which connect a back panel with overlapping front panels, said overlapping front panels containing compressible hemispherical protruding elements which apply localized pressure to the abdomen of the user.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,897 (Roller) describes a therapeutic back support device for use in applying force to vertically opposite sides of a human spine at any selected one of a plurality of different vertical levels. The device includes a back support plate which is coupled to a human body to forwardly direct the plate. A pair of force concentrating members are mounted on the front face of the plate between the plate and the body for concentrating the forwardly directed force of the plate to a specific portion of the back. The force concentrating members may be laterally and vertically moved to apply the force to any selected one of a plurality of vertically spaced spinal vertebrae.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A pant belt supporting system has:

-   -   a) a waist belt having a length defined by a first end and a         second end;     -   b) the waist belt having an engaging system for temporarily         securing the first end and the second end;     -   c) the waist belt having at least one surface a first end of a         physical, temporary-engaging fastening system secured to the         waist belt;     -   d) a functional fabric having a top and a bottom, and a second         end of a physical, temporary-engaging fastening system at the         bottom end; and     -   e) the separate functional fabric having sufficient         self-supporting vertical strength so that when the functional         fabric is secured to the at least one of the inner surface or         the outer surface of the waist belt having the first surface of         the physical, temporary-engaging fastening system secured to the         waist belt, the second functional fabric supports itself in a         vertical alignment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows four potential components and structures useful within the practice of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A pant belt supporting system has:

-   -   a) a waist belt with a length, an inner and outer surface, and a         circumference, the length defined by a first end and a second         end;     -   b) the waist belt having an engaging system for temporarily         securing the first end and the second end;     -   c) the waist belt having at least one of the inner surface or         the outer surface having a first end of a physical,         temporary-engaging fastening system secured to the waist belt;     -   d) a functional fabric having a top and a bottom, and a second         end of a physical, temporary-engaging fastening system at the         bottom end; and     -   e) the separate functional fabric having sufficient         self-supporting vertical strength so that when the bottom end of         the functional fabric is secured to the at least one of the         inner surface or the outer surface of the waist belt having the         first surface of the physical, temporary-engaging fastening         system secured to the waist belt, the second functional fabric         supports itself in a vertical alignment.

The second functional fabric may be a fat-burning fabric, a heating element, an exercise structure, a sweat-inducing fabric, a surface massage fabric, a transcutaneous neural stimulation system. The second functional fabric may be an electrically powered heating fabric, an internal friction heat-generating fabric, or a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric that is less stretchable then the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric.

A specific species of the generic pant belt supporting system may be:

-   -   a) a waist belt having a length, an inner and outer surface, and         a circumference, the length defined by a first end and a second         end;     -   b) the waist belt having an engaging system for temporarily         securing the first end and the second end;     -   c) the waist belt having at least one of the inner surface or         the outer surface having a first surface of a hook-and-loop         fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt;     -   d) a functional fabric having a top and a bottom, and a second         engaging surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system at         the bottom end; and     -   e) the separate functional fabric having sufficient         self-supporting vertical strength so that when the bottom end of         the functional fabric is secured to the at least one of the         inner surface or the outer surface having the first surface of a         hook-and-loop fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt,         the second functional fabric supports itself in a vertical         alignment.

Again, the second functional fabric comprises a fat-burning fabric, a heating element, an exercise structure, a sweat-inducing fabric, a surface massage fabric, a transcutaneous neural stimulation system. The second functional fabric may be an electrically powered heating fabric, an internal friction heat-generating fabric, or a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric that is less stretchable then the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric. The pant belt supporting system may have the at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface have the first surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt has the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastener permanently secured to the waist belt. The at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface having the first surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt has the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastener removably covering the at least one of the inner or the outer surface. The coating may be on a surface (or within the body) of the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric configured to be distal from a user's body when the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastener is secured to the second surface of the hook-and-loop fastener. The fat-burning fabric may be a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric supporting weights distributed over or within the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric. Again, the coating may be on a surface of the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric configured to be distal from a user's body when the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastener is secured to the second surface of the hook-and-loop fastener.

Reference to the FIGURES will assist in a better appreciation of the practice of the present technology.

FIG. 1 shows a cutaway view of a standard pant top 10. The pant top 10 is shown with a reinforced top section 12 having belt loops 14 and spacing 16 between the loops 14. A belt 20 is shown with closing holes 22 and buckle closure 24 as are standard in many belts. The closure system of holes 20 and buckle 24 may be replaced with other closure systems such as snaps, hoop and loop fasteners and the like. The substance of the belt 26 may be typical materials such as leather, artificial leather, fabric, elastic fabric and semo-rigid elastic fabrics that that can provide some stiffness and structural support. On at least one surface of the belt 20 may be part of a second fabric engagement system, in this case shown as the hook component 28 of a hook-and-loop fastener system. The hooks 28 for example, could directly engage second fabric 40 connection tab elements 50 with loops.

AS mentioned above, as an alternative to the connector system (such as the hook component 28) permanently on the belt 20, an overwrap element 30 having a structural body 32 and what can be both internal connecting elements and external connecting elements 34 (loops) so that any standard belt (not shown) may be provided with the overwrap system 30 to convert a standard belt into a belt with at least one engaging surface for connection to the second functional fabric system 40. Once the standard belt has been converted to an engaging belt such as 20, the second functional fabric component 40 may be engaged with the converted belt. The second functional fabric system 40 is shown the fabric content 42 having function components 44 in or on the fabric 42. The functional components, as previously noted, may comprise a stiffening component, a heating component (with energy source, not shown), an internal friction and heat generating overlay of elements, weighting elements and the like. The fabric content 42 may have some horizontal elasticity with the stiffening effect of functional components 44 acting primarily in a vertical direction. The second fabric functional component 40 may be connected to adjust to different waist sizes and secure the component 40 about a user with end closure system components 46 and 48, The second functional fabric component engages the belt by connecting extensions or tab elements 50 over the belt 0 between the pant loops 14 in the spaces 16 between the belt loops 14. The tab elements 50 both engage the belt through surface connecting elements 26 and may also engage itself by wrapping around the belt 20 and attaching to itself by opposed hook-and-loop elements, buttons, snaps or the like. By engaging the belt 20 and securing the ends 46 and 48 of the second functional fabric component 40, the functional fabric 42 is secured to the body of the wearer.

Although specific materials and structures have been described, alternatives and equivalents may be used within the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A pant belt supporting system comprising: a) a waist belt having a length, an inner and outer surface, and a circumference, the length defined by a first end and a second end; b) the waist belt having an engaging system for temporarily securing the first end and the second end; c) the waist belt having at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface having a first surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt; d) a functional fabric having a top and a bottom, and a second engaging surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system at an end of the bottom; and e) the functional fabric having sufficient self-supporting vertical strength so that when the bottom end of the functional fabric is secured to the at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface having a first surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt, the functional fabric supports itself in a vertical alignment.
 2. The pant belt supporting system of claim 1 wherein the second functional fabric comprises a fat-burning fabric comprising a fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the fabric that is less stretchable then the fabric.
 3. The pant belt supporting system of claim 1 wherein the second functional fabric comprises an electrically powered heating fabric.
 4. The pant belt supporting system of claim 1 wherein the second functional fabric comprises an internal friction heat-generating fabric comprising a fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the fabric that is less stretchable then the fabric, or a fabric having weights distributed in or on the fabric.
 5. The pant belt supporting system of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface having the first surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt has the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastening system permanently secured to the waist belt.
 6. The pant belt supporting system of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface having the first surface of a hook-and-loop fabric fastening system secured to the waist belt has the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastening system removably covering the at least one of the inner or the outer surface.
 7. The pant belt supporting system of claim 2 wherein the fat-burning fabric comprises a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric that is less stretchable then the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric without the coating.
 8. The pant belt supporting system of claim 7 wherein the coating is on a surface of the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric configured to be distal from a user's body when the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastening system is secured to a second engaging surface of the hook-and-loop fastening system.
 9. The pant belt supporting system of claim 2 wherein the fat-burning fabric comprises a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric supporting weights distributed over the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric.
 10. The pant belt supporting system of claim 9 wherein the coating is on a surface of the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric configured to be distal from a user's body when the first surface of the hook-and-loop fastener is secured to the second surface of the hook-and-loop fastener.
 11. A pant belt supporting system comprising: a) a waist belt having a length, an inner and outer surface, and a circumference, the length defined by a first end and a second end; b) the waist belt having a temporary-engaging system for temporarily securing the first end and the second end; c) the waist belt having at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface having a first end of a temporary-engaging fastening system secured to the waist belt; d) a functional fabric having a top and a bottom, and a second end of a physical, temporary-engaging fastening system at an end of the bottom; and e) the functional fabric having sufficient self-supporting vertical strength so that when the bottom end of the functional fabric is secured to the at least one of the inner surface or the outer surface of the waist belt having the first surface of the temporary-engaging fastening system secured to the waist belt, the second functional fabric supports itself in a vertical alignment.
 12. The pant belt supporting system of claim 11 wherein the second functional fabric comprises a fat-burning fabric comprising a fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the fabric that is less stretchable then the fabric.
 13. The pant belt supporting system of claim 11 wherein the functional fabric comprises an electrically powered heating fabric.
 14. The pant belt supporting system of claim 11 wherein the functional fabric comprises an internal friction heat-generating fabric comprising a fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the fabric that is less stretchable then the fabric, or a fabric having weights distributed in or on the fabric.
 15. The pant belt supporting system of claim 12 wherein the fat-burning fabric comprises a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric having a coating on at least one surface or within the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric that is less stretchable then the woven, non-woven or knitted fabric without the coating. 